1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an L-shaped coaxial connector. In particular, the present invention relates to an L-shaped coaxial connector that may be connected to and disconnected from a receptacle having a center conductor and an external conductor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Existing L-shaped coaxial connectors include, for example, a coaxial connector as described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-228614. FIG. 17 is an exploded perspective view of a coaxial connector 210 and a receptacle 230 described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-228614.
The coaxial connector 210 includes a housing 212, a bushing 214, a socket 216, and an insulation sheet 218. The coaxial connector 210 is attached to an end of a coaxial cable 220, and can be connected to and disconnected from the receptacle 230. The coaxial cable 220 includes an outer conductor 222 and a center conductor 224. The receptacle 230 includes an external conductor 232 and a center conductor 234.
As shown in FIG. 17, the housing 212 includes a cylinder portion 226, a lid portion 228, and a crimping portion 229. The housing is connected to the outer conductor 222 of the coaxial cable 220. As shown in FIG. 17, the bushing 214 is attached to a cylinder portion 226 of the housing 212. The bushing 214 is made of an insulating material. The socket 216 is attached to the bushing 214 and connected to the center conductor 224 of the coaxial cable 220. The insulation sheet 218 is disposed between the socket 216 and the lid portion 228. After the bushing 214, the socket 216, and the insulation sheet 218 are attached to the housing 212, the lid portion 228 is closed and the crimping portion 229 is crimped. Thus, the cylinder portion 226, the lid portion 228, and the coaxial cable 220 are fixed to one another.
The coaxial connector 210 having the above-described structure can be connected to the receptacle 230. Specifically, the external conductor 232 is inserted into the cylinder portion 226, so that the external conductor 232 contacts the cylinder portion 226, and the center conductor 234 is inserted into the socket 216. Thus, the outer conductor 222 of the coaxial cable 220 is electrically connected to the external conductor 232 of the receptacle 230, and the center conductor 224 of the coaxial cable 220 is electrically connected to the center conductor 234 of the receptacle 230.
The coaxial connector 210 described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication 2006-228614 and manufactured, as described hereinafter, is difficult to manufacture at low costs. Specifically, the housing 212 is made by pressing a metal plate. In assembling the coaxial connector 210, the bushing 214, the socket 216, and the insulation sheet 218 are attached to the housing 212, as shown in FIG. 17. The lid portion 228 is then closed and the crimping portion 229 is crimped.
Thus, in manufacturing of the coaxial connector 210 shown in FIG. 17, the process of attaching the bushing 214, the socket 216, and the insulation sheet 218 to one another has to be performed between the process of making the housing 212 and the process of closing the lid portion 228. In order to reduce manufacturing costs of the coaxial connector 210, it is desirable that the housing 212 be continuously processed on one production line. That is, it is desirable that the process of manufacturing the housing 212 as shown in FIG. 17 and the process of closing the lid portion 228 be continuously processed on one production line.
However, with the coaxial connector 210, if the lid portion 228 is closed right after the housing 212 has been made, the bushing 214, the socket 216, and the insulation sheet 218 cannot be attached to one another and be assembled in the housing 212. Therefore, it is difficult to manufacture the coaxial connector 210 shown in FIG. 17 at low costs.